Individual and joint influence of cytokeratin 19 and microvascular invasion on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

Background And Objectives: To evaluate the individual and combined associations of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and microvascular invasion (MVI) with prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Clinicopathological data on 352 patients with HCC who underwent radical resection at our hospital between January 2013 and December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into four groups: CK19(-)/MVI(-), CK19(-)/MVI(+), CK19(+)/MVI(-), and CK19(+)/MVI(+).

Subcellular localization of HMGB1 in human cholangiocarcinoma: correlation with tumor stage.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignant disease with a poor prognosis, and several studies have been conducted using different molecular markers as a tool for CCA diagnosis, including Clonorchis sinensis (CS)-CCA. We initially identified the expression profiles of the three markers of interest, HMGB1, SOX9, and YAP1, using GSE (GSE76297 and GSE32958) datasets. Upregulated levels of these three proteins were detected in CCA samples compared to those in normal samples.

Development of a preoperative prognostic scoring system to predict benefits of hepatic resection in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Objective: The present study aimed to identify risk factors for overall survival in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and establish a scoring system to select patients who would benefit from hepatic resection.

Methods: Survival curves were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The prognostic scoring system was developed from training cohort using a Cox-regression model and validated in a external validation cohort Results: There were 401 patients in the training cohort, 163 patients in the external validation cohorts.

Novel combination of celecoxib and metformin improves the antitumor effect by inhibiting the growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

To explore the effect of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib in combination with metformin on the prevention of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the mechanisms involved. HCC cell lines and an HCC rat model were treated with celecoxib, metformin or a combination of both. Cell viability and tumor formation were measured.

Overexpression of Epcam and CD133 Correlates with Poor Prognosis in Dual-phenotype Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

: Dual-phenotype hepatocellular carcinoma (DPHCC) is associated with high rate of post-operative recurrence and low rate of survival, which may reflect the post-operative persistence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here we explored the potential correlation between DPHCC and expression of CSCs markers. : In this retrospective study, we included 19 patients with DPHCC and 61 patients with non-DPHCC treated in 2015 by liver resection.

Adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma involving microvascular invasion.

Background: Microvascular invasion (MVI) has recently been reported to be an independent prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study compared the outcomes of adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (A-TACE) after hepatic resection (HR) in patients with HCC involving MVI.

Methods: This prospective study involved 200 consecutive patients with MVI-HCC who underwent HR alone (n = 109) or HR with A-TACE (n = 91).

Pre- and post-operative HBsAg levels may predict recurrence and survival after curative resection in patients with HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To investigate pre- and post-operative levels of HBsAg influence prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative resection.

Methods: Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for 881 patients with HBV-related HCC treated by curative resection. Patients were classified as having high or low serum HBsAg levels (≥200 or <200 ng/mL) pre- or post-operatively.

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression is associated with initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma, while prostaglandin receptor-1 expression predicts survival.

Aim: To determine whether cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E1 receptor (EP) contribute to disease and whether they help predict prognosis.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 116 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent surgery between 2008 and 2011 at our hospital. Expression of COX-2 and EP receptor was examined by immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues using polyclonal antibodies.

Blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio predicts survival after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity score-based analysis.

Aim: To investigate whether an elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can predict poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 526 patients with HCC who underwent surgery between 2004 and 2011.

Results: Preoperative NLR ≥ 2.

COX-2 Promotes Migration and Invasion by the Side Population of Cancer Stem Cell-Like Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be responsible for tumor relapse and metastasis due to their abilities to self-renew, differentiate, and give rise to new tumors. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is highly expressed in several kinds of CSCs, and it helps promote stem cell renewal, proliferation, and radioresistance. Whether and how COX-2 contributes to CSC migration and invasion is unclear.